Chapter Text
To Hong Jae Yeol, high school wasn’t so bad. He didn’t talk to anyone, nor did he interact with anyone—nobody bothered to be his friend or anything. And he was ok with that. That was until a certain person transferred to his school.
Looking out the window, he propped his elbow on the desk while he laid his cheek to his hand. He wasn’t that interested in the conversations around him, it was a buzz for a while. Then, the teacher ambled in, quiet footsteps following behind. It was hushed for a moment, and suddenly the noise around him stopped, and the whispers began. He was curious as to why. With piqued interest, he turned his attention to the head of the class.
Dazzling was one of the words he could use to describe him, handsome, striking, ineffable, and certainly enthralling were words he could use to express how he looked. An amicable smile, something, or rather someone he could appreciate from the sidelines Then he introduced himself, Park Hyungsuk. He flicked his eyes for a fleeting moment and inevitably met his, he noticed they were a dark color. He could get lost in those eyes, maybe, perhaps. He wasn’t one to think stuff like that.
He turned abruptly to look out the window again, feeling a bit perplexed— a scrutinized face and a bit of a pout as to why he would think that way, not to mention a guy whom the most he did was glance at. And a little feeling that he wanted to change that, to know him a bit. He soon got pulled out of his thoughts as he heard class commencing, ‘he’s already sitting down then..’ planning on pulling out his workbook from his backpack for the lecture, he took it as a chance to look at where he was sitting. He leaned down and quietly turned his head around the class. He tensed for a moment and immediately set his stuff on the desk. Behind him. He. was. behind. him. No problem, it wasn’t a problem at all, why would it be? He decided that’ll be enough confusing emotions for today, abstaining from such, he decided to pay attention to the lesson instead.
And that’s how the first subject went by, and then the next, and soon, it was lunchtime. And he was torn between deciphering what he was feeling or disregarding it and drinking a singular milk for lunch. He chose the latter unsurprisingly. With a sigh, he pulled himself up from the desk, his chair scraping against the floor a bit. He walked out of the class and began walking with a purpose, to the canteen and back to his seat in class. It took less than 5 minutes to complete this adventurous, eventful task. Almost reaching the door, he realized and stumped mid-step, what if he’s there? Jae Yeol wasn’t ready to face the guy, even if all he had done was stare at him for an unprecedented 3 seconds. It was a dumb reason and reaction, but the next thing he knew, he was walking to a secluded area. Not so isolated, since there were still a lot of students hovering around.
He decided that this was it, a spot near the window around a corner, perfect. He knew nobody would try to chat with him or notice him anyway. He leaned a bit against the wall and began sipping on his milk. It was calm for a moment, he wasn’t thinking about Park Hyungsuk, Mr. Celestial, and his opaline skin, deep enchanting eyes—never mind, now he was. He sighed a bit, and debated against himself, should he… try to talk to him? Well, talk is a strong word. Maybe give him a wave, yeah. Maybe that— his thought suddenly stopped when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He almost yelped, turning his attention to the unwanted person. His breath hitched, talk about the devil.
“Excuse me, sorry to bother you. You’re in my class right? My name is Park Hyungsuk!”
His first day at school and he was feeling a bit lost, well not a bit. He was quite literally lost, walking around he spotted a guy with blond bleached hair that was covering his eyes. ‘He’s in my class, right..?’ He knew for a fact he was in his class, he kept glancing at him throughout the lecture. It’s not his fault that the guy had a handsome face! (Aside from the fact his eyes weren’t visible, details, details..) He quietly told himself, anyway, this could probably be his chance to make a friend, AND eventually find his way back to class.
Hong Jae Yeol, in his entire life, never felt frozen in place. As he was right now. He thought to himself ‘he.. looks better up close, Hyungsuk somewhat has a baby face, defined eyebrows and he felt himself getting sucked in his eyes, his—‘ he stopped himself. Hyungsuk had said something to him, what had he said? Jae Yeol had no idea. Within those 4 seconds of crisis, he hesitatingly gave a nod. Hoping that was somehow the correct answer to whatever he had said.
Hyungsuk was getting angsty when it took him 4 seconds to give that nod, he himself went through an internal crisis. Was that a weird way to start a conversation? He doesn’t think so.. Did he not want anyone near him right now? He sucked in a breath and began talking rapidly when he saw Jae yeol made no further attempt to talk to him “Well, you see, I just so happened to have gone to the cafeteria—to get something to eat and had gotten lost walking around. I saw you and thought ‘Isn’t he from my class?’ Ha, ha, ha… And so I really wanted to try to talk to you and maybe be your friend? Am I coming off strong? Am I being weird right now? I thought you looked pretty cool. I really liked your hair. Oh my gosh, I’m being awkward right now aren’t I? I’m so so sorry…”
Now paying hyper-attention to Hyungsuk and every syllable coming out of his mouth, he felt a blush rise up his cheeks. He thought he was cool? He wanted to be his friend? The guy he was mulling over a singular stare at? He didn't even know if he could give him a proper response even if he tried. Adverting his eyes, not that he could see. He couldn’t manage to look at him at that moment; He felt his heart skipping two beats.
Giving a slower and steadier nod this time, he finally looked at him. Properly this time; how he had a small imperceptible smile, one you have to look really hard at to even think it’s a smile. But Jae Yeol could tell, after all, he was paying the most attention to him at that very moment. And gave him a smile of his own— a genuine one and tilted his head a bit. Now, the dilemma at hand.. How could he tell him that he wants to also be his friend? Conflicted a bit Jae Yeol hoped that the smile conveyed at least his reciprocation to being friends or at least the greeting.
Hyungsuk brightened up after seeing his smile. He could tell Jae Yeol was acknowledging him, that he also wanted to be his friend— no words were needed. “Really? You’d want to be my friend?” He took a step forward invading Jae Yeol’s space further. Not that he noticed out of his excitement.
Jae Yeol, again, for the umpteenth time stilled for a second. He had hoped Hyungsuk would understand what he was trying to say, he did. And all it took from him was a smile and a head tilt. He felt a bit complex about how easily he could decipher what he meant, but he was overall happy. He felt himself smile once again, He usually wasn’t one to smile; but apparently Hyungsuk has a special way to get Jae Yeol to express himself more— just from a few words he got him to do more facial expressions than he had in a year.
He felt himself giddy and agitated from their closeness. He looked at Hyungsuk in the eyes, his face adverted once more, this time to a clock near the wall he was facing, and noticed the time. Lunchtime was almost over, and he’d have to go back to class and was upset by that a bit. Then remembered they literally had the same class together. He faced Hyungsuk to tell him of the time—“Oh the time? We should head back to class, right?”
!
Once again he didn’t even have to open his mouth, Hyungsuk just immediately knew what he had wanted to say. He once again gave a nod, and now instead of a wide smile had a more subtle one, tilted his head, and began walking, slow steps at first. Afraid Hyungsuk wasn’t right behind him and catching up to walk next to him He glanced back, hyungsuk was following him.
Slowly and surely the two made their way back into class, where Jae Yeol gave a slight nod towards him and sat down at his seat. And that’s how the whole day went by until the end of classes. He felt somewhat happy with himself, he had managed to have a decent conversation if he could say so himself. The bell had rung while he was in thought. Blushed a bit again, and managed his facial expression as soon as he realized what had happened — the fact that Hyungsuk was all he could think of made him flustered, and he began packing slowly. ‘Had he gone home already?’ He decided he wasn’t going to mull over it, he could see him tomorrow and perhaps even give him a wave. Being almost the last to leave the class, due to his snail-like slow packing, and being deep in thought. He felt someone staring at him; and looked around, just to catch Hyungsuk staring at him a little bashed. “Bye, Jae Yeol.” Giving him a little wave and a beatific smile, his eyes forming crescents, deciding that was enough for a goodbye, he went out the door.
Two things went through his mind at that very moment. 1) He didn’t remember giving out his name, the second was—Cute.
‘Cute..’ Cute? Jae Yeol stilled for a moment. Oh, ohh. He suddenly had a flashback to when his sister, Jaehye, had barged into his living room and began ranting about her newly acquired crush. How much of their looks, personality and charming demeanor had struck her. After 6 Hours of perplexing emotions about the new guy, about Park Hyungsuk. It clicked. Jae Yeol was officially doomed. Mouth open, and frozen in place for the second time that day, his brain began working again— For the first time in his life, he decided to woo someone. To get someone to like him, talk to him, and spend time with him. And he had concluded that person had to be the new guy. Park Hyungsuk. He just had to figure out how to go about it now.